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The Ordinary vs Principia

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

The Ordinary and Principia are two thoughtful skincare lines offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. The Ordinary features serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and sensitive skin best while offering standout options for acne, dark spots, and mature skin. Meanwhile, the second brand is widely loved for its thoughtful cleansers and precise formulas that suit balanced to oily skin best, helping maintain a healthy, balanced complexion. Both brands differ primarily in their core ingredient philosophies and the specific skin types they serve most effectively.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

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This page compares some of the most popular The Ordinary and Principia products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs Principia products

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Principia: which is better?

The Ordinary offers a much wider range of products that fit dry skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots well. Its formulations feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin hydration and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Principia?

The Ordinary offers a large variety of skincare products that fit dry, sensitive, and dark spot-prone skin best, whereas Principia features only a single cleanser on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides affordable serums with acne-clearing and dark spot-fading benefits, though some products may leave a sticky finish or cause pilling.

The Ordinary or Principia: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers a wider variety of cleansers on this page that fit dry and oily skin well, whereas Principia features just one cleanser with average or lower fit levels for those skin types.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Principia?

The products on this page for The Ordinary are often noted by reviewers as affordable and offering great value. Principia does not have enough shopper feedback on this page to compare affordability.

When were The Ordinary and Principia founded and who owns them?

The Ordinary was founded in 201 Canada and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., while Principia was founded in 2020 and is owned by Viziera Participações Ltda.

Do products from The Ordinary and Principia contain fragrance in their ingredients?

No, every product on this page for both The Ordinary and Principia lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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